EP2317482B1 - Vending machine - Google Patents

Vending machine Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2317482B1
EP2317482B1 EP09013698.7A EP09013698A EP2317482B1 EP 2317482 B1 EP2317482 B1 EP 2317482B1 EP 09013698 A EP09013698 A EP 09013698A EP 2317482 B1 EP2317482 B1 EP 2317482B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
battery
charging
vending machine
control unit
pump circuit
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Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Not-in-force
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EP09013698.7A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP2317482A1 (en
Inventor
Willi Weber
Wilhelm Scholz
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Hesa Innovations GmbH
Scholz Systemprogrammierung GmbH
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Hesa Innovations GmbH
Scholz Systemprogrammierung GmbH
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Application filed by Hesa Innovations GmbH, Scholz Systemprogrammierung GmbH filed Critical Hesa Innovations GmbH
Priority to EP09013698.7A priority Critical patent/EP2317482B1/en
Priority to IN2347DEN2012 priority patent/IN2012DN02347A/en
Publication of EP2317482A1 publication Critical patent/EP2317482A1/en
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Publication of EP2317482B1 publication Critical patent/EP2317482B1/en
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F9/00—Details other than those peculiar to special kinds or types of apparatus
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
    • H02J7/00—Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
    • H02J7/34—Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering
    • H02J7/342—The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a vending machine with a control unit, a plurality of electrical consumers connected thereto, which can be operated in the course of a sales operation, and an operating battery for supplying electrical consumers with electrical energy, further comprising a charging battery, which is connected via a charge pump circuit with the Operating battery is connectable, wherein the control unit is prepared to recharge the operating battery after removal of electrical energy from it by connection to the charging battery via the charge pump circuit.
  • Vending machines are becoming increasingly complex, for example, by legal regulations that have been established for the sale of certain products, such as tobacco products. In such vending machines, there must be a device for detecting the age of the user, which only allows the product to be dispensed when the prescribed minimum age is determined.
  • a vending machine with a badge reader is in DE 20 2008 901 618 U1 described.
  • vending machines for outdoor use with lead gel accumulators of 7.5 ampere hours are used as operating batteries.
  • solar panels are used to recharge the operating batteries, but the solar radiation must be very high in order to achieve a sufficient charging voltage.
  • the devices currently installed in vending machines have different voltage levels that must at least be present for their operation. This may mean, for example, that when the operating battery is in a low state of charge, the control unit and the coin recognition devices are still working and accepting coinage, but when the banknote insertion device is activated which receives a comparatively high initial current, the voltage of the operating battery may break. This has the consequence that the control unit and the other electrical consumers perform a so-called "reset" in the vending machine, resulting in malfunction. In practice, more than 90% of malfunctions occur in machines due to a low battery charge state of the operating battery at customers and must then be reported by them. The disruptions identified by the customers lead to annoyance and dissatisfaction among the customers.
  • the state of charge of the operating battery during a maintenance visit by the maintenance personnel is often not clearly identifiable. For example, a short charge across solar cell arrays may indicate a sufficient state of charge, although the capacity of the operating battery is relatively low.
  • the high initial power demand of some electrical consumers, such as the banknote feeders that an operating battery would have to be replaced already at a state of charge of about 50%, since such a battery could not provide the high initial power requirements of the banknote feeder.
  • a vending machine with the features of the preamble of claim 1 is made DE 20 2005 008 373 U1 known.
  • a disposable battery is used, which can recharge the rechargeable operating battery via a charging circuit.
  • a charging battery is provided, which is connectable via a charge pump circuit with the operating battery.
  • the control unit is prepared to recharge the operating battery after removal of electrical energy by connecting it to the charging battery via the charge pump circuit.
  • the control unit is configured to recharge the operating battery after each removal of electrical energy from it during a sales operation by connection to the charging battery via the charge pump circuit.
  • This structure has several advantages.
  • a charging battery which is connectable via a charge pump circuit to the operating battery to recharge it after each removal of electrical energy
  • the charging battery can operate with relatively low charging currents to recharge the operating battery via the charge pump circuit.
  • the charging battery can be almost completely discharged if necessary, and thus their total capacity can be almost completely utilized.
  • the charge pump circuit between the charging battery and the operating battery and their recharging after each removal of electrical energy from it, it is possible to generate a sufficiently high charging voltage with relatively low charging currents to recharge the operating battery.
  • the capacity of the charging battery can be almost completely utilized, i. the battery is almost completely discharged.
  • the charging currents can be limited to a maximum value of about 150 mA.
  • control unit in addition to the operating battery connected in parallel with a reserve battery is provided.
  • the control unit is further prepared to recharge the backup battery after removal of electrical energy from the backup battery by establishing the connection to the charging battery via the charge pump circuit.
  • control unit is prepared to monitor the state of charge of the charging battery and to provide a signal via an optical display when the state of charge of the charging battery has fallen below a predetermined limit.
  • This display such as an LED display, should be arranged so that maintenance personnel can easily hear this signal when opening the vending machine.
  • the rechargeable battery is replaced with a charged rechargeable battery and the discharged old rechargeable battery is recharged.
  • solar panels are provided and the control unit is prepared to feed in the presence of currents from the solar cell arrays via a charge pump circuit in the charging battery to recharge these or extend their discharge cycle.
  • the operating battery is connected to the electrical loads via a booster or DC-DC converter circuit, which ensures a constant output voltage of, for example, 12.5 volts.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of components of the electrical power supply of the vending machine.
  • the electrical consumers of the vending machine in particular badge reader, bill acceptor, coin detectors and conveyors in the vending machine, are replaced by the operating battery 2 via a booster or DC / DC converter circuit 10 which supplies a constant output voltage of e.g. 12.5 V supplies, supplied with electrical energy.
  • a booster or DC / DC converter circuit 10 which supplies a constant output voltage of e.g. 12.5 V supplies, supplied with electrical energy.
  • a charging battery 8 is provided in the vending machine, which can be connected via a charge pump circuit 10 with the operating battery 2.
  • a reserve battery 4 is provided parallel to the operating battery 2.
  • the control unit of the vending machine is prepared to connect the charging battery 8 via the charge pump circuit 10 to the operating battery 2 after each sale of electrical energy from the operating battery 2 connected to a sales operation to the electrical consumers of the vending machine, in order to recharge them. Thereby, the operation battery 2 can be maintained in a nearly fully charged state for a long period of time.
  • the control unit monitors the state of charge of the charging battery 8, and provides a display visible to the maintenance personnel when the state of charge of the charging battery 8 falls below a predetermined limit. This makes it possible for the maintenance personnel to recognize the low state of charge of the charging battery at a time when only the charging battery 8 is almost exhausted, while the operating battery 2 is still charged almost completely, so that malfunction due to Low charge states of the operating battery can be almost completely excluded.
  • a solar cell array 20 is provided on the vending machine, which is also connected via the charge pump circuit 10 to the charging battery 8 and the operating battery 2 and the backup battery 4.
  • the charge pump circuit 10 Through the interposition of the charge pump circuit 10, the required voltage for recharging the charging battery 8 or the operating battery 2 or the backup battery can be performed with relatively low currents from the solar cell array 20.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Control Of Vending Devices And Auxiliary Devices For Vending Devices (AREA)
  • Charge And Discharge Circuits For Batteries Or The Like (AREA)
  • Control Of Turbines (AREA)

Description

Die vorliegende Erfindung betrifft einen Verkaufsautomaten mit einer Steuereinheit, mehreren damit verbundenen elektrischen Verbrauchern, die im Verlaufe einer Verkaufsoperation betrieben werden können, und einer Betriebsbatterie zur Versorgung der elektrischen Verbraucher mit elektrischer Energie, wobei weiter eine Ladebatterie vorgesehen ist, die über eine Ladepumpenschaltung mit der Betriebsbatterie verbindbar ist, wobei die Steuereinheit dazu vorbereitet ist, die Betriebsbatterie nach Entnahme elektrischer Energie daraus durch Verbindung mit der Ladebatterie über die Ladepumpenschaltung wieder aufzuladen.The present invention relates to a vending machine with a control unit, a plurality of electrical consumers connected thereto, which can be operated in the course of a sales operation, and an operating battery for supplying electrical consumers with electrical energy, further comprising a charging battery, which is connected via a charge pump circuit with the Operating battery is connectable, wherein the control unit is prepared to recharge the operating battery after removal of electrical energy from it by connection to the charging battery via the charge pump circuit.

Verkaufsautomaten werden zunehmend komplexer, zum Beispiel durch gesetzliche Auflagen, die für den Verkauf von bestimmten Produkten, zum Beispiel von Tabakprodukten, aufgestellt worden sind. Bei solchen Verkaufsautomaten muss eine Vorrichtung zum Erfassen des Alters des Benutzers vorhanden sein, die die Ausgabe des Produktes nur zulässt, wenn das vorgeschriebene Mindestalter festgestellt wird. Ein Verkaufsautomat mit einem Ausweislesegerät ist in DE 20 2008 901 618 U1 beschrieben.Vending machines are becoming increasingly complex, for example, by legal regulations that have been established for the sale of certain products, such as tobacco products. In such vending machines, there must be a device for detecting the age of the user, which only allows the product to be dispensed when the prescribed minimum age is determined. A vending machine with a badge reader is in DE 20 2008 901 618 U1 described.

Als weitere elektrische Verbraucher kommen in modernen Verkaufsautomaten Geräte zum Banknoteneinzug, elektrische Verbraucher in der Münzerkennung und Transportvorrichtungen hinzu, die ein ausgewähltes Produkt aus einem der Schächte des Verkaufsautomaten zu einem Ausgabefach transportieren.As further electrical consumers are in modern vending machines for banknote feeder, added electrical consumers in the coin detection and transport devices that transport a selected product from one of the slots of the vending machine to an output tray.

Zur Zeit werden Verkaufsautomaten zur Außenaufstellung mit Blei-Gel-Akkumulatoren mit 7,5 Amperestunden als Betriebsbatterien verwendet. Zusätzlich werden Solarzellenfelder zum Nachladen der Betriebsbatterien verwendet, wobei die Sonneneinstrahlung allerdings sehr hoch sein muss, um eine ausreichende Ladespannung zu erreichen.At present, vending machines for outdoor use with lead gel accumulators of 7.5 ampere hours are used as operating batteries. In addition, solar panels are used to recharge the operating batteries, but the solar radiation must be very high in order to achieve a sufficient charging voltage.

Die gegenwärtig in Verkaufsautomaten eingebauten Geräte (elektrische Verbraucher) haben unterschiedliche Spannungstiefstwerte, die für ihren Betrieb wenigstens vorhanden sein müssen. Dies kann zum Beispiel bedeuten, dass bei erniedrigtem Ladezustand der Betriebsbatterie die Steuereinheit und die Geräte zur Münzerkennung noch arbeiten und zunächst Münzgeld akzeptieren, aber wenn das Gerät zum Banknoteneinzug aktiviert wird, das einen vergleichsweise hohen Anfangsstrom aufnimmt, die Spannung der Betriebsbatterie einbrechen kann. Das hat zur Folge, dass die Steuereinheit und die weiteren elektrischen Verbraucher in dem Verkaufsautomaten einen sogenannten "Reset" durchführen, was Fehlfunktionen zur Folge hat. In der Praxis treten bei Automaten mehr als 90% der Störfälle aufgrund eines zu niedrigen Ladezustands der Betriebsbatterie bei Kunden auf und müssen dann von diesen gemeldet werden. Die durch die Kunden festgestellten Betriebsstörungen führen zu Verärgerung und Unzufriedenheit bei den Kunden.The devices currently installed in vending machines (electrical consumers) have different voltage levels that must at least be present for their operation. This may mean, for example, that when the operating battery is in a low state of charge, the control unit and the coin recognition devices are still working and accepting coinage, but when the banknote insertion device is activated which receives a comparatively high initial current, the voltage of the operating battery may break. This has the consequence that the control unit and the other electrical consumers perform a so-called "reset" in the vending machine, resulting in malfunction. In practice, more than 90% of malfunctions occur in machines due to a low battery charge state of the operating battery at customers and must then be reported by them. The disruptions identified by the customers lead to annoyance and dissatisfaction among the customers.

Im Übrigen ist der Ladezustand der Betriebsbatterie bei einem Wartungsbesuch vom Wartungspersonal oft nicht eindeutig identifizierbar. Durch eine kurze Aufladung über Solarzellenfelder kann zum Beispiel ein ausreichender Ladezustand angezeigt werden, obwohl die Kapazität der Betriebsbatterie relativ niedrig ist. Im Übrigen führt der hoher Anfangsstrombedarf von einigen elektrischen Verbrauchern, zum Beispiel den Banknoteneinzuggeräten, dazu, dass eine Betriebsbatterie bereits bei einem Ladezustand von etwa 50% ausgewechselt werden müsste, da eine solche Batterie den hohen Anfangsstrombedarf des Banknoteneinzuggerätes nicht zur Verfügung stellen könnte. Das bedeutet aber, dass die Betriebsbatterie von dem Wartungspersonal schon bei einem Ladezustand, der in die Nähe von 50% kommt, die Betriebsbatterie ausgewechselt und die ausgewechselte alte Betriebsbatterie zur Neuaufladung geschickt werden muss.Incidentally, the state of charge of the operating battery during a maintenance visit by the maintenance personnel is often not clearly identifiable. For example, a short charge across solar cell arrays may indicate a sufficient state of charge, although the capacity of the operating battery is relatively low. Incidentally, the high initial power demand of some electrical consumers, such as the banknote feeders, that an operating battery would have to be replaced already at a state of charge of about 50%, since such a battery could not provide the high initial power requirements of the banknote feeder. However, this means that the service battery must be replaced by the maintenance personnel already at a state of charge, which comes in the vicinity of 50%, the operating battery and the replaced old operating battery for recharging must be sent.

Ein Verkaufsautomat mit den Merkmalen des Oberbegriffs von Patentanspruch 1 ist aus DE 20 2005 008 373 U1 bekannt. In den Verkaufsautomat ist eine Einmalbatterie eingesetzt, die über eine Ladeschaltung die wiederaufladbare Betriebsbatterie wieder aufladen kann.A vending machine with the features of the preamble of claim 1 is made DE 20 2005 008 373 U1 known. In the vending machine a disposable battery is used, which can recharge the rechargeable operating battery via a charging circuit.

Es ist Aufgabe der vorliegenden Erfindung, einen Verkaufsautomaten anzugeben, bei dem noch weniger Betriebsstörungen durch unzureichenden Ladezustand der Betriebsbatterie auftreten.It is an object of the present invention to provide a vending machine, in which even less malfunctions occur due to insufficient state of charge of the operating battery.

Zur Lösung dieser Aufgabe dienen die kennzeichnenden Merkmale des Patentanspruchs 1 in Verbindung mit dessen Oberbegriff. Vorteilhafte Ausführungsformen der Erfindung sind in den Unteransprüchen angegeben.To solve this problem are the characterizing features of claim 1 in conjunction with the preamble. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

Neben der Betriebsbatterie ist eine Ladebatterie vorgesehen, die über eine Ladepumpenschaltung mit der Betriebsbatterie verbindbar ist. Die Steuereinheit ist dazu vorbereitet, die Betriebsbatterie nach Entnahme elektrische Energie daraus durch Verbindung mit der Ladebatterie über die Ladepumpenschaltung wieder aufzuladen. Erfindungsgemäß ist die Steuereinheit dazu eingerichtet, die Betriebsbatterie nach jeder Entnahme von elektrischer Energie daraus bei einem Verkaufsvorgang durch Verbindung mit der Ladebatterie über die Ladepumpenschaltung wieder aufzuladen.In addition to the operating battery, a charging battery is provided, which is connectable via a charge pump circuit with the operating battery. The control unit is prepared to recharge the operating battery after removal of electrical energy by connecting it to the charging battery via the charge pump circuit. According to the invention, the control unit is configured to recharge the operating battery after each removal of electrical energy from it during a sales operation by connection to the charging battery via the charge pump circuit.

Dieser Aufbau hat verschiedene Vorteile. Durch das Vorsehen einer Ladebatterie, die über eine Ladepumpenschaltung mit der Betriebsbatterie verbindbar ist, um diese nach jeder Entnahme von elektrischer Energie daraus wieder aufzuladen, kann die Ladebatterie mit relativ niedrigen Ladeströmen arbeiten, um die Betriebsbatterie über die Ladepumpenschaltung wieder aufzuladen. Dadurch kann die Ladebatterie nötigenfalls fast vollständig entladen und somit ihre Gesamtkapazität fast vollständig ausgenutzt werden.This structure has several advantages. By providing a charging battery, which is connectable via a charge pump circuit to the operating battery to recharge it after each removal of electrical energy, the charging battery can operate with relatively low charging currents to recharge the operating battery via the charge pump circuit. As a result, the charging battery can be almost completely discharged if necessary, and thus their total capacity can be almost completely utilized.

Darüber hinaus kommt es beim Entladen der Ladebatterie und dem damit verbundenen Wiederaufladen der Betriebsbatterie bei weitgehender Entladung der Ladebatterie zu einem von dem Wartungspersonal wahrnehmbaren Entladezustand, der dann durch Austausch der fast entladenen Ladebatterie beseitigt werden kann. Selbst wenn zu diesem Zeitpunkt gerade keine Wartung stattfindet, sondern bis zur nächsten Wartung noch etwas Zeit vergeht, tritt keine Betriebsstörung des Verkaufsautomaten auf, da die Betriebsbatterie, wenn die Ladebatterie erschöpft ist, noch fast vollständig aufgeladen ist, da sie nach jeder Entnahme von elektrischer Energie wider vollständig aufgeladen wird.In addition, when discharging the charging battery and the recharging of the operating battery associated therewith, when the charging battery is largely discharged, the discharging state perceivable by the maintenance personnel occurs, which can then be eliminated by replacing the almost discharged charging battery. Even if there is no maintenance at this time, but some time passes until the next maintenance, no malfunction of the vending machine occurs because the operating battery, when the battery is exhausted, is still almost fully charged, since it is after each removal of electrical Energy is completely charged.

Durch das Vorsehen der Ladepumpenschaltung zwischen der Ladebatterie und der Betriebsbatterie und deren Wiederaufladung nach jeder Entnahme von elektrischer Energie daraus ist es möglich, mit relativ geringen Ladeströmen eine ausreichend hohe Ladespannung zu erzeugen, um die Betriebsbatterie wieder aufzuladen. Durch die Benutzung von niedrigen Ladeströmen kann die Kapazität der Ladebatterie fast vollständig ausgenutzt werden kann, d.h. die Ladebatterie fast vollständig entladen werden. Die Ladeströme können zum Beispiel auf einen Maximalwert von etwa 150 mA begrenzt werden.By providing the charge pump circuit between the charging battery and the operating battery and their recharging after each removal of electrical energy from it, it is possible to generate a sufficiently high charging voltage with relatively low charging currents to recharge the operating battery. By using low charging currents, the capacity of the charging battery can be almost completely utilized, i. the battery is almost completely discharged. For example, the charging currents can be limited to a maximum value of about 150 mA.

In einer vorteilhaften Ausführungsform ist neben der Betriebsbatterie parallel dazu geschaltet eine Reservebatterie vorgesehen. In diese Fall ist die Steuereinheit weiterhin dazu vorbereitet, nach Entnahme elektrischer Energie aus der Reservebatterie durch Herstellung der Verbindung zur Ladebatterie über die Ladepumpenschaltung die Reservebatterie wieder aufzuladen. Durch Vorsehen dieser Reservebatterie wird die Zeitspanne, nachdem die Ladebatterie soweit entladen ist, dass keine Aufladung der Betriebsbatterie oder Reserverbatterie mehr möglich ist, der Verkaufsautomat aber mit der Betriebsbatterie und der Reservebatterie voll betriebsfähig bleibt, erhöht, so dass mit hoher Wahrscheinlichkeit zu erwarten ist, dass der Verkaufsautomat bis zum nächsten routinemäßigen Besuch des Wartungspersonals betriebsbereit bleibt.In an advantageous embodiment, in addition to the operating battery connected in parallel with a reserve battery is provided. In this case, the control unit is further prepared to recharge the backup battery after removal of electrical energy from the backup battery by establishing the connection to the charging battery via the charge pump circuit. By providing this backup battery, the time period after the charging battery is discharged to the extent that charging of the operating battery or spare battery is no longer possible, but the vending machine with the operating battery and the backup battery remains fully operational, so it is highly probable that the vending machine will remain operational until the next routine visit of the maintenance personnel.

In einer vorteilhaften Ausführungsform ist die Steuereinheit dazu vorbereitet, den Ladezustand der Ladebatterie zu überwachen und über eine optische Anzeige ein Signal zu liefern, wenn der Ladezustand der Ladebatterie unter einem vorgegebenen Grenzwert gefallen ist. Diese Anzeige, zum Beispiel ein LED-Anzeige, sollte so angeordnet sein, dass das Wartungspersonal beim Öffnen des Verkaufsautomaten dieses Signal leicht wahrnehmen kann. Wenn die Wartungsperson das Signal sieht, wird die Ladebatterie gegen eine aufgeladene Ladebatterie ausgetauscht und die entladene alte Ladebatterie zum Wiederaufladen geschickt.In an advantageous embodiment, the control unit is prepared to monitor the state of charge of the charging battery and to provide a signal via an optical display when the state of charge of the charging battery has fallen below a predetermined limit. This display, such as an LED display, should be arranged so that maintenance personnel can easily hear this signal when opening the vending machine. When the service person sees the signal, the rechargeable battery is replaced with a charged rechargeable battery and the discharged old rechargeable battery is recharged.

In einer vorteilhaften Ausführungsform sind Solarzellenfelder vorgesehen und ist die Steuereinheit dazu vorbereitet, bei Vorhandensein von Strömen aus den Solarzellenfeldern diese über eine Ladepumpenschaltung in die Ladebatterie einzuspeisen, um diese wieder aufzuladen beziehungsweise ihren Entladezyklus zu verlängern.In an advantageous embodiment, solar panels are provided and the control unit is prepared to feed in the presence of currents from the solar cell arrays via a charge pump circuit in the charging battery to recharge these or extend their discharge cycle.

In einer vorteilhaften Ausführungsform ist die Betriebsbatterie mit den elektrischen Verbrauchern über eine Booster- oder Gleichstrom-Gleichstrom-Konverterschaltung verbunden, die eine gleichbleibende Ausgangsspannung von zum Beispiel 12,5 Volt sicherstellt.In an advantageous embodiment, the operating battery is connected to the electrical loads via a booster or DC-DC converter circuit, which ensures a constant output voltage of, for example, 12.5 volts.

Die Erfindung wird im Folgenden anhand eines Ausführungsbeispiels in der Figur gezeigt, wobei Figur 1 ein schematisches Blockdiagramm von Komponenten der elektrischen Energieversorgung des Verkaufsautomaten ist.The invention is shown below with reference to an embodiment in the figure, wherein FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of components of the electrical power supply of the vending machine.

In dem dargestellten Aufbau werden die elektrischen Verbraucher des Verkaufsautomaten, insbesondere Ausweislesegerät, Banknoteneinzugsgerät, Münzerkennungsgeräte und Transporteinrichtungen in dem Verkaufsautomaten, durch die Betriebsbatterie 2 über eine Booster- oder DC/DC-Konverterschaltung 10, die eine gleichbleibende Ausgangsspannung von z.B. 12,5 V liefert, mit elektrischer Energie versorgt.In the illustrated construction, the electrical consumers of the vending machine, in particular badge reader, bill acceptor, coin detectors and conveyors in the vending machine, are replaced by the operating battery 2 via a booster or DC / DC converter circuit 10 which supplies a constant output voltage of e.g. 12.5 V supplies, supplied with electrical energy.

Neben der Betriebsbatterie 2 ist in dem Verkaufsautomaten eine Ladebatterie 8 vorgesehen, die über eine Ladepumpenschaltung 10 mit der Betriebsbatterie 2 verbindbar ist. Daneben ist in der dargestellten bevorzugte Ausführungsform parallel zu der Betriebsbatterie 2 noch eine Reservebatterie 4 vorgesehen. Die Steuereinheit des Verkaufsautomaten ist so vorbereitet, dass sie nach jeder mit einer Verkaufsoperation verbundenen Abgabe von elektrischer Energie aus der Betriebsbatterie 2 an die elektrischen Verbraucher des Verkaufsautomaten, die Ladebatterie 8 über die Ladepumpenschaltung 10 mit der Betriebsbatterie 2 verbindet, um diese wieder aufzuladen. Dadurch kann die Betriebsbatterie 2 über einen langen Zeitraum in einem fast vollständig aufgeladenen Zustand gehalten werden. Andererseits ist es möglich, die Kapazität der Ladebatterie 8 weitgehend vollständig auszunutzen, da es ausreichend ist, aus der Ladebatterie mit relativ niedrigen Ladeströmen über die Ladepumpenschaltung 10 die erforderliche Ladespannung zu erzeugen, so dass die Kapazität der Ladebatterie 8 fast vollständig ausgenutzt werden kann. Ferner ist es bevorzugt, dass die Steuereinheit den Ladezustand der Ladebatterie 8 überwacht, und eine für das Wartungspersonal sichtbare Anzeige liefert, wenn der Ladezustand der Ladebatterie 8 einen vorgegebenen Grenzwert unterschreitet. Dadurch ist es für das Wartungspersonal möglich, den niedrigen Ladezustand der Ladebatterie bereits zu einem Zeitpunkt zu erkennen, wenn nur die Ladebatterie 8 fast erschöpft ist, während die Betriebsbatterie 2 noch fast vollständig aufgeladen ist, so dass Betriebsstörungen durch zu niedrige Ladezustände der Betriebsbatterie fast vollkommen ausgeschlossen werden können.In addition to the operating battery 2, a charging battery 8 is provided in the vending machine, which can be connected via a charge pump circuit 10 with the operating battery 2. In addition, in the illustrated preferred embodiment, a reserve battery 4 is provided parallel to the operating battery 2. The control unit of the vending machine is prepared to connect the charging battery 8 via the charge pump circuit 10 to the operating battery 2 after each sale of electrical energy from the operating battery 2 connected to a sales operation to the electrical consumers of the vending machine, in order to recharge them. Thereby, the operation battery 2 can be maintained in a nearly fully charged state for a long period of time. On the other hand, it is possible to largely fully utilize the capacity of the charging battery 8, since it is sufficient to generate from the charging battery with relatively low charging currents via the charge pump circuit 10, the required charging voltage, so that the capacity of the charging battery 8 can be almost fully utilized. Further, it is preferable that the control unit monitors the state of charge of the charging battery 8, and provides a display visible to the maintenance personnel when the state of charge of the charging battery 8 falls below a predetermined limit. This makes it possible for the maintenance personnel to recognize the low state of charge of the charging battery at a time when only the charging battery 8 is almost exhausted, while the operating battery 2 is still charged almost completely, so that malfunction due to Low charge states of the operating battery can be almost completely excluded.

Ferner ist eine Solarzellenanordnung 20 an dem Verkaufsautomaten vorgesehen, die ebenfalls über die Ladepumpenschaltung 10 mit der Ladebatterie 8 und der Betriebsbatterie 2 und der Reservebatterie 4 verbunden ist. Durch die Zwischenschaltung der Ladepumpenschaltung 10 kann mit relativ geringen Strömen aus dem Solarzellenfeld 20 die erforderliche Spannung zum Wiederaufladen der Ladebatterie 8 beziehungsweise der Betriebsbatterie 2 oder der Reservebatterie durchgeführt werden.Further, a solar cell array 20 is provided on the vending machine, which is also connected via the charge pump circuit 10 to the charging battery 8 and the operating battery 2 and the backup battery 4. Through the interposition of the charge pump circuit 10, the required voltage for recharging the charging battery 8 or the operating battery 2 or the backup battery can be performed with relatively low currents from the solar cell array 20.

Claims (5)

  1. Vending machine comprising a control unit, a plurality of electric loads connected thereto, which electric loads can be operated in the course of a sales process, and an operation battery (2) for supplying electric power to the electric loads, wherein furthermore a charging battery (8) is provided which is connectable to the operation battery (2) via a charging pump circuit (10), wherein the control unit is arranged such that after withdrawal of electrical energy from the operation battery (2) the operation battery is charged again by connecting it to the charging battery (8) via the charging pump circuit (10), characterized in that the control unit is arranged such that after each withdrawal of electric energy from the operation battery (2) the operation battery is completely charged again by connecting it to the charging battery (8) via the charging pump circuit (10).
  2. Vending machine according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a stand-by battery (4) is provided which is connected in parallel to the operation battery (2), and in that the control unit is further arranged such that after withdrawal of electric energy from the stand-by battery the stand-by battery is charged again by connecting it to the charging battery (8) via the charging pump circuit (10).
  3. Vending machine according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that solar cell arrays (20) are provided on the vending machine, and that the control unit is arranged to, if current from the solar cell arrays is available, generate from this current by the charging pump circuit (10) an elevated voltage and to charge the charging battery by the elevated voltage again.
  4. Vending machine according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control unit is arranged to monitor the charging state of the charging battery (8) and, if the charging state of the charging battery dropped below a predetermined threshold value to provide a signal via an optical display.
  5. Vending machine according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the operation battery is connected to the electric loads via a DC-to-DC converter circuit (30) which ensures a constant output voltage.
EP09013698.7A 2009-10-30 2009-10-30 Vending machine Not-in-force EP2317482B1 (en)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP09013698.7A EP2317482B1 (en) 2009-10-30 2009-10-30 Vending machine
IN2347DEN2012 IN2012DN02347A (en) 2009-10-30 2010-08-06

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP09013698.7A EP2317482B1 (en) 2009-10-30 2009-10-30 Vending machine

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2317482A1 EP2317482A1 (en) 2011-05-04
EP2317482B1 true EP2317482B1 (en) 2016-10-12

Family

ID=41719273

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP09013698.7A Not-in-force EP2317482B1 (en) 2009-10-30 2009-10-30 Vending machine

Country Status (2)

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EP (1) EP2317482B1 (en)
IN (1) IN2012DN02347A (en)

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3007047A1 (en) * 1980-02-26 1981-09-03 Paul 4992 Espelkamp Gauselmann Coin operated billiards table - has reserve supply to maintain operation when main battery is depleted, and is automatically connected in over diode stage
ES2111577T5 (en) * 1990-11-07 2002-11-16 Mars Inc METHOD AND APPLIANCE FOR AN APPLIANCE FOR THE SALE AND EXPENDITION OF ITEMS, LOW POWER, BATTERY OPERATED.
US20060244415A1 (en) * 2003-11-18 2006-11-02 Denison William D Battery back-up for vending machine lock
DE102004044425B4 (en) * 2004-09-14 2012-11-22 Sielaff Gmbh & Co. Kg Automatenbau Vending machine with charging function for local energy source
DE202008001618U1 (en) 2008-02-06 2008-04-10 Scholz Systemprogrammierung Gmbh Money-operated machine

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
None *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
IN2012DN02347A (en) 2015-08-21
EP2317482A1 (en) 2011-05-04

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